Light Traveler

~20,000 years ago, as some of the Self's exploring swarms become able to spend more time out of the ocean

We believe we have identified the small objects moving through the light in the outer world. They aren't as small as they seem, according to a swarm that has seen the same objects both far away and close up. When they're close to the solid part, it's clear they move like animals.
The animal has an elongated body shape, tapering to a point at each end. Two broad flaps are attached to the middle of the body on opposite sides, and two very thin flaps from one side between the broad ones. The broad flaps fold and the thin flaps extend when the animal rests on the hard outer edge of the world. The animal unfolds and waves the broad flaps to leave the hard surface and move out into the light, where they become the small shapes.
The possibility of moving through light is an appealing one. We have been able to reduce our immediate dependency on the atmosphere somewhat, in order to make our way slightly farther into this world. If we could recreate this animal's method of travel, we could explore unhindered. However, we would have to be free of the dependency entirely. Is this a reasonable goal?